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Thursday, 30 June 2011

June 22nd
Didn't think I would have time to post before going off on holiday tomorrow but wanted to share my latest finished UFO project with you all, you may remember I was working on a colour wash project (posts on 27th & 28th May & 1 June) well I finally finished it yesterday after making a decision to finish it by tonight in time for Show & Tell at S.V.Q. I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out and think I have found just the place to hang it - in the Hallway, provided DH doesn't object. Anyway here it is...

Seams Zig - Zagged

Shapes Satin stitched

and finally

Completed.

I am pleased with the way it has turned out and the bonus is, it hangs really well.
Tonight's workshop at Severn Valley is making these little colour-wash blocks, for our Group Banner, which was decided on after I showed my piece to the committee a while back. Now I'm off to to the workroom and that pile of U.F.O.'s to find some hand stitching to take with me tomorro and assemble all that I need to take to our group meeting tonight before Sheila picks me up. Then it's pack the 'van in the morning and we're off!!
See you all when I get back.
L
June 30th
We are returned from our little holiday, deciding to come home on Tuesday instead of Thursday we are not so much sunburned.. more rusted and rested LOL. The weather wasn't brilliant, but we did have some sunny times between the showers, apparently back at home it was too hot to move!! but at least we had a restful time with no panic phone calls from DD, who came over yesterday for a couple of hours, so far no movement on the 'Bump'.
I took some pictures around Cofton Country (www.coftoncountryholidays) the touring park we stay at near Dawlish, South Devon, to show you.

Now, I don't usually go round photographing the Gents Toilets on the site, but this sign on the wall outside made us smile, I got some very funny looks from folks walking past as I lined up the shot. I don't think it was a starlings nest as the hole is very small, more likely to have been Blue-tits.

We went into Dawlish town on Saturday and walked along the river which runs right through the centre, they have all sorts of wildfowl along the river and when there are young ducklings they are put in a large pen, to protect them from the seagulls, here is a Black Swan with her Cygnets. Dawlish is famous for Black Swans and there are several pairs on the river!

Some of the older ducklings in a grassy pen pre-release.

We walked down to the seafront and all the way along to Coryton Cove (about a mile) the tide was right in and there was lots of 'splooshing waves' (the seaside has to have splooshing, doesn't it, it's so much more fun) here is the Ancient Mariner A.K.A. DH stood on the sea wall.To get to the Cove you walk all the way along the Seafront (See picture below) to the 1st headland, go around the end past a tiny beach where the fishermen can get their boats out and Coryton is between the 2 headlands you can see.

The Seafront

Coryton Cove

'Splooshing' and looking back the other way to wards the town

On the way back DH dropped me off in Cockwood (very small harbour just off the River Exe) I planned to walk the mile or so into Starcross, book a table at our favorite pub for Sunday Lunch, and walk back to the caravan site, however once back in Cockwood I decided to climb up thru the village and go over the hill to get back, it is very steep (I've only previously walked the other way and come down the hill!!) but I took my time and the climb was worth it!The village school is near the top and it looked so pretty with the sun out and the Exe estuary below, though I'm not sure I would want to walk the kids to school up here every day if I lived near the bottom of the hill!!!!

The Main Entrance

The view from the school gate.

Well I will sign off now and go do some knitting, I've got 2 little cardigans to finish before the big event, Just have to pick up the stitches round the front/neck etc. I had planned to finish them while we were away but forgot to take the right size needles, Doh!!
L

Friday, 17 June 2011

Well! what a week, Monday there was a 'secret meeting' to work on a group quilt, that turned out to be a very productive day, we got most of the preparation for the quilting done, can't say too much as we don't want the recipient to find out and she may pop by here.

Tuesday saw both myself and DH having our haircut alongside a visit from DD who is positively blooming with only 2 weeks to go till 'D' day :-D. For the last 3 weeks she has been having a bit of trouble with her blood pressure and the midwife has insisted she went to the hospital for checks but having had another scan, a glucose test and multiple BP tests all seems fine and after her clinic visit this week I got a text to say she had 'passed the BP challenge'.

Wednesday a.m. was the U3A Family History meeting for this month, a group research session and very interesting, I actually found out a lot of info regarding the cemetery in Italy where DH's father is buried, he was Killed in action in January 1944 age 30 leaving a wife and 2 small children. Here is a picture of him in his uniform, he was a Bandsman with the Wiltshire Regt. and a photo of Minterno War Graves Cemetery Italy where he is buried. From this picture I can see a strong likeness in DH, Arthur was home on leave from the front on the night his son was born but returned to the front a couple of days later and never saw him again. DH was 4years old and his sister was 6yrs when thier father died

Arthur Henry Shergold.

Wednesday evening saw me off to Shire Stitcher's quilt group in Bristol to give a talk, I took Sheila with me as my 'roadie', they made us very welcome and we had a good time enjoying their Show & Tell session. I have been there twice before to teach a Crazy Victorian patchwork evening workshop and a Saturday workshop on Japanese folded patchwork and it was nice to go back.

Thursday morning was shopping with my Mum then I grabbed an apple for lunch as I had to attend another meeting, for SVQ, we are making a Group Banner to display at events and Exhibitions, we have decided on a design and worked out how to involve the members in the making of it, starting at the group meeting next Weds, I'll try to post some pictures of it as soon as there is something to show.

Finally today was our weekly shop so that took care of most of the morning leaving just time for lunch & a sit down before coming up here to the workroom, I've done some tidying up as things have been left in here on my return from the week's events, I have managed some sewing and put together all the things I need to take to Clock Tower Quilter's meeting tomorrow just my lunch to sort out then 'it's time for bed' as they say on the 'Magic Roundabout' How many of you out there in blog-land remember that? I loved that show when it was on TV and was so glad to have a small child so I could watch it without feeling guilty.

We are hoping to get away for a few days in the caravan weather permitting from the 23rd, I know it's a bit close to D day and I may have to dash back up the motorway if she goes into hospital but we may not get away at all after the event, we choose not to go in the school holidays as its so busy everywhere. So if you don't hear from me for a while its because we've made a dash off to the seaside BUT as soon as there is any news I'll do my very best to make sure you hear it here first.

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

I had such fun! Yesterday I spent the day with DD helping her to sort out the nursery ready for the baby ('D' date in four weeks - Yipee can't wait - and can't believe how fast the time has gone either!!!) We got the room cleaned and hung the curtains and light-shade, some of the nursery furniture went in as well - a wide natural pine shelf unit which will double up as the nappy changing station by having a changing mat on top, with storage for all the nappies, cotton wool, creams etc underneath. DD wanted to go on putting things in there but I said that she should let her partner have some say in the matter, I don't want him to think Mother in law has completely taken over! They invited me to stay for dinner but I think they should have all the time together they can in the next few weeks. Anyway I brought home all the BABY clothes for a wash through, and today my clothes line is full of BABY blankets and towels, and as I sit here it's all blowing gently in the wind. Quite takes me back.

Today I had took Mum to Thornbury for her shopping trip, usual routine - drop her off safely in the supermarket and walk into town (that's my fitness regime for the day :-)))) ) Did the bank and Post office things etc, then dropped into the P.D.S.A. shop on the High Street - What did I find? - a basket full of off-cut curtaining fabric at only £1.99 each, some were simply awful but others were just callin' out to me to make some nice 'green' shopping bags which I can sell at Severn Valley's Exhibition in October!!! I also found a single size Duvet cover so that came home as well, tho I have another use for that, and all for under a 'tenner' (£10).

This is the fabric I found in the Charity shop, there were 2 large pieces of the blue and one of the orange, I have made several bags already using some fabric passed on by a friend who makes curtains and soft furnishings, if they don't sell, at least I will have had the pleasure of making them, and guess what will be in all the family's stockings at Christmas :-))LOL

The 'colour wash' project went well on Saturday although I didn't finish it as I hoped, my Thanks must go to Radka (My Stitching Journey) for her comment on my last post, very helpful thank you.

I did not need as many pieces as I thought but think hope I got it about right, now I will add another black border before quilting and binding it. The instructions say to bring the backing over to the front as a binding but I may add a separate one, anyways here it is with all the little colour swatches added. The little white areas you can see on the blocks are where the bonded shapes do not quite meet but this should be covered by the quilting which will be done on all the joins. Lynne recommended using a zig- zag or fancy stitch with coloured thread to match the squares which will hopefully fill the gaps, so it should look pretty on the back as well! So watch this space as they say after all today is WIPW. though the light is a bit grey today and sewing with black???? (I know! I know! excuses excuses - just get on with it woman!!)